U.S. pilots told not to confuse celebratory gunfire with attacks during Eid al-Fitr

Friday, December 6th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (AP) _ The U.S. military said Friday it has told its pilots not to confuse Afghans firing into the air in celebration of the Islamic Eid al-Fitr festival with shootings aimed at them.

In July, an AC-130 gunship fired on several villagers in Afghanistan's central Uruzgan province fearing they were under attack. Dozens of people were killed.

Afghan officials and survivors said the gunfire came from people firing into the air to celebrate a wedding _ a common Afghan custom. U.S. officials disputed that account and said the firing came from heavy weapons. However, no anti-aircraft weapons were found by U.S. investigators.

``Not every round that goes into the air is going to be hostile,'' said Col. Roger King, a spokesman at Bagram Air Base, headquarters of the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan. ``But if it turns into a direct threat against U.S. or coalition forces, it stops being celebratory.''

Outside the perimeter of Bagram, red tracer bullets could be seen in the evening sky Thursday. In Afghanistan, Eid al-Fitr began Thursday, marking the end the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. In some parts of the Muslim world Eid al-Fitr festival began Friday.

King said pilots have been told to fly higher and be more vigilant during the three-day festival.